Internal Air Damper

ABSTRACT

An internal air damper is installed with each outlet of the residential air duct system to overcome any air imbalance that may occur within the system. The internal air damper includes a retainer sleeve plate, a damper plate, a pair of malleable tabs, and a plurality of retainer tabs. The damper plate is internally and concentrically connected to the retainer sleeve plate by the pair of malleable tabs and the retainer tabs are perimetrically connected around the retainer sleeve plate. The retainer tabs secure the internal air damper into an air duct and then the damper plate can be selectively flexed from a closed configuration to an opened configuration to balance an imbalance air flow before entering into a room or portion of a room.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 62/102,888 filed on Jan. 13, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an internal air balancingsystem of a building. More specifically, the present invention is aninternal air damper apparatus for use within a building air duct systemto manually adjust the air flow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Duct systems used in the ventilated cooling and heating of a buildingare often constructed with a branched architecture. More specifically,the main duct is connected directly to the source of cooled or heatedair while many different branch ducts are distributed from the mainduct. Each branch is a duct serving a single terminal where theconditioned air enters the zone, room or portion of a room that is to becooled or heated. The branched architecture duct systems are generallyutilized within residential homes and commercial buildings. In referenceto residential homes, the residential air duct system needs to be leakfree to meet standard building codes thus the existing commercial styleair dampers that penetrate the air ducts do not work with theresidential construction. Since the residential air duct system consistsof many branches, the smallest available flex branch is 4″ and capableof delivering up to 100 CFM of air volume. Most residentialapplications, generally bathrooms and closets, that use a 4″ supplybranch only requires 10 to 30 CFM by design. As a result, a standard3-bedroom and 2-bathroom house has at least five 4″ lines can cause acommon problem that is known as the air imbalance. For example, one roommay receive increased amount of conditioned air compare to the requiredamount while another room may receive decreased amount of conditionedair compare to the required amount.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus thatefficiently and inexpensively solve the air imbalance within residentialhomes. More specifically, the present invention is an internal airdamper that positions with each air outlets of the residential air ductsystem so that the internal air damper can be manually adjusted to solveany air imbalance within the residential air duct system. Due to thequick and easy installation, the present invention is able to constructa leak free air balancing system within new residential air duct systemsor existing residential air duct systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in the closedconfiguration.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention in the closedconfiguration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention in the openedconfiguration.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the present invention in the openedconfiguration.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention in the closedconfiguration.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the present invention in the openedconfiguration.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the present invention in the openedconfiguration, showing the air flow of the air duct.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describingselected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limitthe scope of the present invention.

A residential ventilation system requires air balancing when firstinstalled in new or remodeled building construction as balancing of theventilation system encompasses the proper proportioning of the overallairflow between all of the various terminals in the ventilation system.In particular, each individual terminal in the ventilation system isassigned a specified air flow according to system specifications of theventilation system. As may be appreciated, the air flow at any oneterminal is highly interdependent with all the other terminals, sincethe terminals are interconnected through the various branches, submains,and the main duct system. The present invention, an internal air damper,is a low cost air damper that can manually adjust to the normal airflowin a terminal to the desired air flow of the terminal. As a result, thepresent invention is able to provide a leak free apparatus for balancingair distribution in each terminal according to the systemspecifications. More particularly, the present invention provides forthe manual balancing of the air flow within each individual terminal ofthe ventilation system so that each individual terminal can equallydischarge conditioned air to one or more zones of the building throughthe ventilation system. In reference to FIG. 1, the present inventioncomprises a retainer sleeve plate 1, a damper plate 5, a pair ofmalleable tabs 7, and a plurality of retainer tabs 8. The presentinvention is configured to place within the terminal and behind theoutlet grill so that the air balancing can occur within the terminal. Inorder to meet the ventilation system specifications, components of thepresent invention are made into a single apparatus and preferably madeof 24-gauge metal to efficiently install and function within theterminal.

In reference to FIG. 2, the retainer sleeve plate 1 functions as theplatform member of the present invention and comprises a body 2, anouter edge 3, and an inner edge 4. The body 2 is extended from the inneredge 4 to the outer edge 3 as the shape of the retainer sleeve plate 1is defined by the body 2, the inner edge 4 and the outer edge 3. Eventhough the retainer sleeve plate 1 of the preferred embodiment is shapedinto a circular form, the retainer sleeve plate 1 of the presentinvention can be shaped into any other geometric shapes as long as theretainer sleeve plate 1 matches to the geometric shape of the terminal.

In reference to FIG. 2, the retainer tabs 8 are externally andperimetrically connected around the retainer sleeve plate 1 so that theretainer tabs 8 and the retainer sleeve plate 1 are able to secure thepresent invention within the terminal. More specifically, the retainertabs 8 are adjacently connected with the outer edge 3 so that eachretainer tab 8 is able to press against the inside wall of the terminal.Additionally, each of the retainer tabs 8 are equally spaced apart fromeach other so that the retainer sleeve plate 1 can be evenly pressedagainst the inside wall of the terminal. The preferred embodimentincludes four retainer tabs 8, wherein each retainer tab 8 is positioned90 degrees apart from each other along the circular shaped retainersleeve plate 1. Additionally, the retainer tabs 8 of the preferredembodiment are angularly positioned with the retainer sleeve plate 1 sothat the present invention can be easily inserted into the terminalwithout damaging the present invention or the terminal. The retainertabs 8 are also designed to bend along the inside wall parameter of theterminal so that present invention is able fit though different sizeterminals. For example, the retainer tabs 8 can maintain the initialangular orientation leaving an empty space between the outer edge 3 andthe inside wall parameter of the terminal or bend against the insidewall parameter of the terminal creating a snug fit.

In reference to FIG. 2, the damper plate 5 is concentrically positionedwith the retainer sleeve plate 1 and internally connected to theretainer sleeve plate 1 by the pair of malleable tabs 7. Morespecifically, the pair of malleable tabs 7 is connected in between alateral surface 6 of the damper plate 5 and the inner edge 4 of theretainer sleeve plate 1 as the sleeve pair of malleable tabs 7 isdiametrically opposed of each other. As a result of the positioning ofthe pair of malleable tabs 7, the damper plate 5 can be selectivelyflexed from a closed configuration to an opened configuration to adjustthe air flow of the terminal. Even though the damper plate 5 of thepreferred embodiment is shaped into a circular form, the damper plate 5of the present invention can be shaped into other geometric shapes aslong as the damper plate 5 is able to freely flex within the retainersleeve plate 1.

In reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 5, the closed configurationintends to block the air flow from the terminal. During the installationof the present invention, the retainer sleeve plate 1 is perpendicularlypositioned with the air flow of the terminal as shown in FIG. 7. Thenthe closed configuration of the present invention is able to block theair flow from the terminal as the damper plate 5 is positioned parallelwith the retainer sleeve plate 1 about the pair of malleable tabs 7.Once the present invention is installed within the terminal, the airflow can be balanced though the damper plate 5. More specifically, thepresent invention is manually flexed into the opened configuration fromthe closed configuration so that the desired amount of conditioned aircan be discharged though the terminal. In reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4,and FIG. 6, when the present invention is at the opened configuration,the damper plate 5 is angularly positioned with the retainer sleeveplate 1 about the pair of malleable tabs 7. Depending on the anglebetween the damper plate 5 and the retainer sleeve plate 1, the presentinvention is able to determine the amount of air flow that passes thoughthe present invention. For example, when the damper plate 5 isperpendicularly positioned with the retainer sleeve plate 1, the presentinvention is considered to be fully opened. When the damper plate 5 isat a 60-degree angle with the retainer sleeve plate 1, the presentinvention considered to be partially opened. As a result, the presentinvention is able to provide an efficient and easy solution to airimbalance that normally occurs within the terminal.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An internal air damper apparatus comprises: aretainer sleeve plate; a damper plate; a pair of malleable tabs; aplurality of retainer tabs; the plurality of retainer tabs beingexternally and perimetrically connected around the retainer sleeveplate; the damper plate being concentrically positioned with theretainer sleeve plate; the damper plate being internally connected tothe retainer sleeve plate by the pair of malleable tabs; and the damperplate being selectively flexed from a closed configuration to an openedconfiguration to adjust an air flow of a terminal.
 2. The internal airdamper apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the retainer sleeveplate comprises a body, an outer edge, and an inner edge; the body beingextended from the inner edge to the outer edge; each of the plurality ofretainer tabs being equally spaced apart from each other; and theplurality of retainer tabs being adjacently connected with the outeredge.
 3. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 1comprises: the pair of malleable tabs being diametrically opposed ofeach other; and the pair of malleable tabs being connected in between alateral surface of the damper plate and an inner edge of the retainerplate sleeve.
 4. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 1comprises: the closed configuration; and the damper plate beingpositioned parallel with the retainer sleeve plate about the pair ofmalleable tabs.
 5. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim1 comprises: the opened configuration; and the damper plate beingangularly positioned with the retainer sleeve plate about the pair ofmalleable tabs.
 6. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim1, wherein the retainer sleeve plate being perpendicularly positionedwith the air flow of the terminal.
 7. An internal air damper apparatuscomprises: a retainer sleeve plate; a damper plate; a pair of malleabletabs; a plurality of retainer tabs; the retainer sleeve plate comprisesa body, an outer edge, and an inner edge; the body being extended fromthe inner edge to the outer edge; the plurality of retainer tabs beingexternally and perimetrically positioned around the retainer sleeveplate; each of the plurality of retainer tabs being equally spaced apartfrom each other; the plurality of retainer tabs being adjacentlyconnected with the outer edge; the damper plate being concentricallypositioned with the retainer sleeve plate; the damper plate beinginternally connected to the retainer sleeve plate by the pair ofmalleable tabs; and the damper plate being selectively flexed from aclosed configuration to an opened configuration to adjust an air flow ofa terminal.
 8. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 7comprises: the pair of malleable tabs being diametrically opposed ofeach other; and the pair of malleable tabs being connected in between alateral surface of the damper plate and an inner edge of the retainerplate sleeve.
 9. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 7comprises: the closed configuration; and the damper plate beingpositioned parallel with the retainer sleeve plate about the pair ofmalleable tabs.
 10. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed inclaim 7 comprises: the opened configuration; and the damper plate beingangularly positioned with the retainer sleeve plate about the pair ofmalleable tabs.
 11. The internal air damper apparatus as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the retainer sleeve plate being perpendicularlypositioned with the air flow of the terminal.
 12. An internal air damperapparatus comprises: a retainer sleeve plate; a damper plate; a pair ofmalleable tabs; a plurality of retainer tabs; the retainer sleeve platecomprises a body, an outer edge, and an inner edge; the body beingextended from the inner edge to the outer edge; the plurality ofretainer tabs being externally and perimetrically positioned around theretainer sleeve plate; each of the plurality of retainer tabs beingequally spaced apart from each other; the plurality of retainer tabsbeing adjacently connected with the outer edge; the damper plate beingconcentrically positioned with the retainer sleeve plate; the pair ofmalleable tabs being diametrically opposed of each other; the pair ofmalleable tabs being connected in between a lateral surface of thedamper plate and an inner edge of the retainer plate sleeve; and thedamper plate being selectively flexed from a closed configuration to anopened configuration to adjust an air flow of a terminal.
 13. Theinternal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprises: theclosed configuration; and the damper plate being positioned parallelwith the retainer sleeve plate about the pair of malleable tabs.
 14. Theinternal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprises: theopened configuration; and the damper plate being angularly positionedwith the retainer sleeve plate about the pair of malleable tabs.
 15. Theinternal air damper apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein theretainer sleeve plate being perpendicularly positioned with the air flowof the terminal.